With BriseBois earlier in the week indicating he was pretty much done with the Syracuse roster, I found that a little hard to believe considering the lack of veteran depth for the blueline. So, I decided to break down the players under contract and predict where they slot in. Defense and Goaltending is pretty easy to predict, but there's a couple of open slots available for forward and a number of players competing.

Expect 13 roster slots for forwards, with 11 players written in ink IMO. That leaves 2 slots with about 6 players IMO fighting for those 2 wildcard spots. Connolly and Wyman have the upper hand given the number of NHL games both have already played, but Labrie, Wilson, Conacher, and Killorn will be among a competitive group vying for an NHL roster spot. All 6 players are on two-way contracts with Wyman, Labrie, and Wilson needing to clear waivers to be reassigned to Syracuse.

I find it really hard to believe that Yzerman/BriseBois is done with the Syracuse blueline. Taormina has plenty of offense, but struggles defensively. Just can't imagine going into the season with a third-pair of Landry and Nightingale.

Perhaps the organization is already not planning on sending back Milan and Sergeev to juniors, but I find that hard to believe as I think both those players need another year. Perhaps the organization is planning on re-signing Kevin Quick to another AHL/ECHL contract. I think there's one or two other depth signings, and I may I once again suggest Taylor Chorney who was not QO'd by EDM.

Thanks for initiating the discussion. This is about all we are going to have to talk about for the next month and a half.

I'm not convinced that Connolly is going to be with the Lightning next year. For that matter, I'm not sure that Brown will be there either. So I think an opening is there for Conacher or Killorn.

There is absolutely no way that you win a bidding war for Brown and as part of the offer to Brown was to let the remainder of the 2011-12 season count for the first of a two-year ELC -- and then you send him him to AHL for the only season you have to evaluate him before you have to re-sign.